Town Pulls Plug on Law Suit but Taxpayers Still Pay Legal Costs
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February 10, 2012 Volume 8, Issue3 Town pulls plug on law suit but Ted Petkoff—oldest person in world to taxpayers still pay legal costs undergo hip replacement surgery Two weeks before his 108th ment in 2011. In a closed meeting of Geor- to drop the suit, Mr. Grossi birthday on January 31, Sutton’s Ted has lived in Georgina for gina council on Thursday, said many constituents had own “amazing” Ted Petkoff un- more than 30 years. Up to the February 2, town council questioned the potential ex- derwent total hip replacement time of his surgery, he was still unanimously resolved to dis- pense of the suit. surgery and is now driving his own car continue a defamation law suit “We listened to your concerns believed to be the and is a passionate against former Leisure Ser- and we agreed to move on,” he oldest person in golfer. vices Director John McLean. said. the world to have He moved from Mace- “Today Town Council decided The defendant in the case, Mr. done so. donia in 1930 and to discontinue our law suit as McLean, said he was pleased At 108 years old, worked during the the Town’s intent has been with the outcome of the meet- Mr. Petkoff is depression at odd jobs clouded by some misunder- ing on Thursday. currently recuper- such as shining shoes, standings,” Mayor Grossi said. “I am very pleased that the ating at South washing dishes and He said the lawsuit was never public rose up and fought for Lake Hospital working on the rail- a personal suit between him- what was right. They weren’t where he is prepar- road. He later started self and Mr. McLean but was necessarily fighting for me, ing for rehabilita- his own business in tion exercises to the food service indus- a unanimous council initiative. but what was right,” he said. help him start Ted celebrates his try and became the “The Town’s legal counsel “And I appreciate it.” walking on his proprietor of advised that the suit be in the He said he wasn’t happy about 108th birthday with own. Councilor Ken Hacken- “Amazing Ted’s” Mayor’s name as the most the last paragraph in the “He is walking with restaurant in Toronto. senior elected official,” he Mayor’s statement which sug- brook after receiving a a walker and eating signed photo of astro- In the past Ted has said. gested that Mr. McLean well,” said his niece shared his secret to A by-law which was enacted should have made his feeling naut and South Lake Vesela Petkovski. Hospital president, longevity. by council to pay the legal known at the appropriate time “The doctor said he Dave Williams. “Live right, take care costs of the suit by taxpayers, when he was the Director of is amazing.” of yourself, lots of was not rescinded during the Leisure Services. Lily Wauters, a 101-year-old love and stay active.” February 2 meeting. As a re- “Anyone who knows me British woman, is recorded by the Last year, Ted was given the sult, taxpayers will assume all knows that if I disagree with Guinness Book of World Records honour of raising the Macedonian legal costs until the claim is something, I would have said as the oldest person to have a flag at an anniversary celebration officially settled. something,” he said. total hip replacement in 2007. honouring Macedonia’s inde- In his statement to the public Margaret Jordan, a councillor And an internet search reveals pendence from Yugoslavia. “It after announcing the decision Continued on page 11.. that a 107 year-old New Dehli was the best day of my life,” he woman had a partial hip replace- said. WOW!!!! $249,900 for all this! This large family home has 4 bedrooms, a big eat- in kitchen, 3 bathrooms, finished basement with above grade windows. 2 car garage with access to the house all sitting on a 147 foot wide lot and just a two minute walk to the lake. It’s all here! Better call Teresa now to see this one! Sales Representative Teresa Millar Call Teresa at (905) 722-3211 or you can visit www.teresamillar.com 2 Letter to the Editor Many of you have read in this McLean and we reviewed the publication or been told that I possibility for extended delays had filed a personal lawsuit by Mr. McLean and the poten- funded by the Town of Georgina tial for excessive costs we de- against an employee of the cided to withdraw the suit. Per- Town John McLean the one haps we got poor advice or the time Director of our Leisure Administration at the Town Services Department who is on should have disciplined Mr. a long term leave of absence. McLean in some other way. We You need to know that the infor- listened to our constituents and mation that you received is in- we responded immediately. correct. However the fact remains that The lawsuit was never a per- Mr. McLean lied about his re- sonal lawsuit between Mr. sponsibilities and he should be McLean and myself. As the held accountable for his state- highest ranking elected official ments. in the Town of Georgina and the As an elected official I know I CEO of the Corporation, your am subject to scrutiny and criti- Town Council was advised that cism and I have never shied the proper way of filing a law- away from either. suit on behalf of the Corporation The public has a right to that was to have it filed in my name dialogue and I welcome it. and it was decided unanimously If the ROC or any other project to use that advice in filing the is a failure or a success I as al- lawsuit. ways will take full responsibility The issue that was in question for my involvement. was whether a Town employee However I will never accept and (Mr. McLean) The Director of I should never accept on behalf the Leisure Services Department of every resident of this Town, a lied when he wrote letters to the Head of a Department paid with editor that stated he was re- your tax dollars who is involved quired to write reports that were in millions of dollars of projects contrary to what he believed blatantly lying about his in- because he was directed to do so volvement. by either myself or another Robert Grossi, Mayor. elected member of Georgina Town Council. The Council of the Town of Publisher/Editor Georgina along with discussions Karen Wolfe with members of our senior (705) 437-1216 management team agreed that [email protected] Mr. McLean had lied about his Proofreader responsibilities and that was not Nancy Koster the way Town business was Advertising Sales & Inquiries Karen Wolfe handled. (705) 437-1216 In order to protect the integrity [email protected] of our business and the employ- Distribution Inquiries ees of the Town of Georgina The Pefferlaw Post Offices who write reports as part of their 17 Otter Cove regular duties we sought advice Pefferlaw, Ontario from the Town’s solicitors. We L0E 1N0 were told that we should for- (705) 437-1216 mally ask for a retraction of Mr. www.thepefferlawpost.com McLean's comments. We did so and Mr. McLean refused to re- The Pefferlaw Post publishes on tract his false comments. the 10th and 24th of every month We were then advised that the (except December 24) and is dis- only other way to seek a retrac- tributed throughout Georgina and tion was to launch a lawsuit and beyond. The contents of this publi- our solicitors’ advice was that it cation are protected by copyright should be in the Mayor's name and may only be used for personal as he is the CEO. and non-commercial use. The Town Council voted unani- Pefferlaw Post accepts no respon- mously to do so. Once the suit sibility for claims made for any was launched and there was no product or service reported or initial response from Mr. advertised. 3 No complacency in Georgina... First and foremost… congratu- without risking a defamation lations to the residents of Geor- action… gina for speaking out and tak- Second, if council tied this suit ing action. Pierre Elliott Tru- up in a bow with Mr. Grossi’s deau wrote me a letter once name on it so they could use and said, “there is no other public funds to sue for defama- alternative but to have faith in tion, doesn’t that contravene the people.” Boy, was he right the statement above? in Georgina’s case. Way to go! Third, if it was never a private In my opinion, apathy and suit, then why was it necessary complacency are the harbingers for Mr. Grossi to declare a of deceit in a democracy. And conflict of interest in two I was so delighted to see so closed meetings? many people stand up and fight Fourth, in the statement Mr. for what they believed in. Grossi read after council de- The official reason given for cided to drop the suit, he said: discontinuing the defamation “we listened to your concerns lawsuit between “plaintiff” and we agreed to move on”. Rob Grossi and “defendant” If they were listening, then John McLean was “the Town’s why wasn’t the by-law re- intent has been clouded by scinded? It seems to me that is some misunderstandings.” what most people were upset I wonder what that means. about. Does it mean that the people of Fifth, if John McLean is still an Georgina got things wrong “employee” of the town as Mr.